Development in Norwegians' use of CAM, 2012-

This article outlines the development in the Norwegian population's usage of and costs to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and dietary supplements, according to how this has been measured in NAFKAMs bi-annual population surveys from 2012 and onwards. 

The reports from each of the surveys are publically available, and can be found here: 2022 - 2020 - 2018 - 2016 - 2014 - 2012.

You may also read our article on the NAFKAM national survey in general (methodology, structure etc).

What is measured? 

In the surveys, the concept of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) includes usage of therapies regulated by the Act No 64 about complementary and alternative medicine; herbs/ natural remedies, and/ or self-help techniques for health-related purposes.

NAFKAM does not consider ordinary use (in line with the declaration) of dietary supplements (e.g vitamins, minerals, trace elements etc) to strengthen one's health as CAM, but we measure the populations' use of such due to a specific assignment from Norwegian health authorities. For practical purposes, this is included in the survey and reporting of CAM use.

Introduction

The size and composition of the Norwegian population is yearly monitored by Statistics Norway. The gender-composition of NAFKAMs surveys aim to reflect this, on the basis of its 1,000 interviews of people aged 18 years or more:

Table: Development of Norwegian population 18 years or more, total and gender-wise from 2012, versus gender-composition in NAFKAMs surveys

  2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
Total population 18+ 3,867,645 3,983,895 4,086,583 4,166,612 4,248,972 4,316,747
% men 49,8% 50,0% 50,1% 50,1% 50,2% 50,2%
% women 50,2% 50,0% 49,9% 49,9% 49,8% 49,8%
% men in NAFKAM survey 48,3% 54,4% 52,7% 54,4% 52,0% 50,1%
% women in NAFKAM survey 51,7% 45,6% 47,3% 45,6% 48,0% 49,9%

1. How does the usage of CAM and dietary supplements develop over time?

Table 1.1: Usage, independent of gender 

% of all respondents 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
Total use of CAM 45,3% 41,0% 35,8% 36,5% 39,3% 38,3%
CAM treatment from providers 36,6% 30,9% 23,5% 22,4% 20,7% 24,9%
Herbs/ natural remedies 12,0% 10,7% 10,8% 9,6% 9,3% 13,8%
Self-help techniques 12,4% 14,4% 14,3% 16,9% 21,8% 18,1%
Dietary supplements 70,4% 70,1% 66,0% 68,8% 70,9% 73,8%

Table 1.2: Usage among men

% of all male respondents 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
Total use of CAM 36,3% 33,1% 27,1% 28,0% 30,7% 29,9%
CAM treatment from providers 27,1% 26,6% 18,3% 16,9% 15,5% 20,0%
Herbs/ natural remedies 9,4% 8,0% 7,7% 7,7% 8,8% 10,0%
Self-help techniques 7,0% 7,7% 6,5% 10,7% 15,4% 10,0%
Dietary supplements 66,3% 65,5% 60,9% 62,5% 70,1% 69,9%

Table 1.3: Usage among women

% of all female respondents 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
Total use of CAM 53,7% 50,5% 45,5% 46,8% 48,6% 46,7%
CAM treatment from provider 45,5% 36,1% 29,3% 29,1% 26,2% 29,9%
Herbs/ natural remedies 14,5% 13,9% 14,2% 11,9% 9,8% 17,6%
Self-help techniques 17,3% 22,4% 23,0% 24,4% 28,7% 26,3%
Dietary supplements 74,3% 75,6% 71,8% 76,3% 71,7% 77,8%

2. How are the costs to CAM and supplements developing?

Table 2.1: Average cost per user, independent of gender  (NOK)

All users 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
Total use of CAM 2610 2409 2547 2970 2561 4718
CAM treatment from providers 2498 2478 2738 3114 3770 4817
Herbs/ natural remedies 688 1206 1446 995 1016 3386
Self-help techniques 928 916 780 1733 535 1536
Dietary supplements 1167 964 931 1013 1038 1095

Table 2.2: Men's costs (NOK)

Male users 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
Total use of CAM 2394 1753 1612 2159 2580 6967
CAM treatment from providers 2565 1753 1701 2569 3898 2599
Herbs/ natural remedies 1701 1233 1449 1166 1332 5380
Self-help techniques 440 654 284 814 363 526
Dietary supplements 1112 930 849 1038 1125 924

Table 2.3: Women's costs (NOK)

Female users 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
Total use of CAM 2745 2926 3174 3561 2549 3682
CAM treatment from providers 2461 3094 3472 3491 3687 6324
Herbs/ natural remedies 1346 1188 1499 862 806 2253
Self-help techniques 1142 1027 1000 2258 635 1921
Dietary supplements 1214 1000 1075 989 945 1253

3. How is the usage of specific CAM therapies developing?

Table 3.1: Usage of predefined CAM therapies, among all respondents

Therapy name 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
Acupuncture 9,9% 7,1% 5,5% 4,7% 4,8% 5,3%
Cupping - - 1,3% 0,5% 0,7% 1,5%
Gestalt therapy - 0,2% - - - -
Homeopathy 3,0% 1,8% 0,9% 0,7% 0,4 1,3%
Kinesiology 1,7% 1,1% 0,7% 0,3% 0,4% -
Massage therapy 22,2% 20,3% 14,3% 14,1% 14,0% 17,4%
Naprapathy - 4,6% 2,7% 2,7% 2,9% 5,1%
Naturopathy 2,0% - - - - -
Osteopathy - - 1,4% 1,1% 1,4% 3,4%
Other CAM therapy (not on the list) 4,4% 4,0% 1,8% 1,7% 1,5% 0,9%
Psychoteraphy (not from a psychologist/ psychiatrist)  2,0% - - - - 2,8%
Reflexology 4,2% 3,1% 2,2% 1,2% 1,2% 1,7%
Reiki healing 3,8% 2,8% 1,2% 2,3% 1,4% 2,3%
Though field therapy - 0,9% - - - -

4. How is the gender composition in the CAM user group developing?

Table4.1: Men in the user group

Male proportion of CAM users 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
Total use of CAM 38,7% 43,9% 39,9% 41,6% 40,6% 39,2%
CAM treatment from providers 35,7% 46,8% 41,0% 40,9% 39,1% 40,2%
Herbs/ natural remedies 37,7% 40,8% 37,5% 43,6% 49,5% 36,2%
Self-help techniques 27,4% 29,0% 23,9% 34,3% 36,7% 27,6%
Dietary supplements 45,4% 50,8% 48,6% 49,4% 51,4% 47,4%

Table 4.2: Women in the user group

Female proportion of CAM users 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
Total use of CAM 61,3% 56,1% 60,1% 58,4% 59,4% 60,8%
CAM treatment from providers 64,3% 53,2% 59,0% 59,1% 60,9% 59,8%
Herbs/ natural remedies 62,3% 59,2% 62,5% 56,4% 50,5% 63,8%
Self-help techniques 72,6% 71,0% 76,1% 65,7% 63,3% 72,4%
Dietary supplements 54,6% 49,2% 51,4% 50,6% 48,6% 52,6%

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